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(No Model.)

J. T. SMITH. PAEASOL 0R UMBRELLA.

No. 256,754.; Patented Apr. 18,1882.

WI Yl/VESSES UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JAMES T. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PARASOL OR UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,754, dated April 18, 1882.

Application filed February 28, 1882.

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES T. SMrrn, a citizen ofthe United States, residing atNewYork, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Parasols or Umbrellas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement on parasols or umbrellas for which Letters Patent were granted me April 19, 1881; and the object of my present improvement is to provide means for opening a parasol or umbrella from the outside instead of from the inside, as is usual. In my said patent the parasol is arranged to open by descent of the runner, and the runner is of a particular form, having an annular projection at its lower end to form a finger hold adapted to co-operate with a knob on the end of the stick, and is combined with a notch provided with a peripheral groove to receive the wire that holds the ribs and with a cup-shaped recess on its lower side toreceive the runner ends when the parasol is folded. In my present improvement, although these parts are used they are arranged differently and their operation is different, as will hereinafter be seen. v

My improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the same when the parasol-top is spread; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the stick, notch, and runner.

A represents the stick, provided at itslower end with knob F.

B is a notch of ordinary construction and riveted to the stick, its usual position in relation to the runner being reversed, however, and attached to notch B are stretchers h, instead of ribs.

0 is the runner, of the form already mentioned, as shown in my former patent, but occupying a reversed position on the stick, hav ing a broad flange or lip, a, on upper end of tube, and instead of being provided with a notch to hold the stretchers, as therein described, it has attached to its lower end the (No model.)

notch D, which corresponds with notch E in the former case-that is to say, it has a hole in the center to permit the stick to pass through, a peripheral groove to receive the wire that holds theribs, a, instead of the stretchers, and a cup'shaped recess, j,in one end toreceive the notch B and theinnerendsofstretchers ii. The runner O is held in place, when the parasol is spread, by the spring m, and when pushed above the spring the flange a of the runner is flush with a lower flange, 0, of top E.

The cover of the parasol is fastened to the frame over the notch D in the usual manner.

To open the parasol it is only necessary to rest the thumb on the top E and grasp the flange a of the runner between the fingers of the same hand and bring the parts together by pressure. The parasol is closed by simply depressing the spring m, which holds the runner in place, when the parasol will close of itself.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a parasol or umbrella, the combination of the runner, holding-spring, and stick, the tube of runner, and the spring and stick extending above the cover, whereby the parasol or umbrella may be opened or closed from the outside, substantially as described.

2. The stretcher-supporting notch riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the stick, in combination with the upper rib-supporting notch and runner, substantially as described.

3. The runner provided with the stretchersupporting notch at its lower end and a projecting flange constituting a finger-hold at its upper end, substantially as described.

4. The top E, provided with flange 0, in combination with the runner 0, provided with flange a, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES THOMAS SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. MARSH, LEWIS LEFEERTs. 

